A SECOND councillor has resigned from Hillingdon's conservative party to stand as an independent.

Councillor Ann Banks, handed in her resignation last night (Tuesday), which follows the move of close friend Councillor Geoff Courtenay, who resigned as Brunel ward councillor on Monday.

It has now emerged that she will stand side by side with Councillor Courtenay in West Drayton as an independent councillor.

While Courtenay found himself out of favour after his party reprimanded him for posting on a 'How sexy are you' quiz on Facebook, Councillor Banks had her own reasons for opting out of the Conservatives.

After being a ward councillor for 12 years in West Drayton, she was due to be moved across to stand in Townfield in Hayes, a change she did not want to make.

Courtenay said: "Ann lives in the ward of West Drayton, and wants to stay as a councillor there, it is as simple as that.

"She is very popular there and carried on working hard despite suffering personal bereavements and her attendance record at council meetings is exemplerary.

"We are both standing as independents, and I will be the agent for the both of us."

Despite the uphill challenge of winning as an independent, Courtenay insists the pair are feeling positive.

"I am very upbeat about the election, we will have a nice clean campaign, and we will stand on our past record as councillors, let that speak for itself, and let the electorate decide."

They are likely to come up against Councillor Paul Buttivant, (Con), who is believed to be moving from the Heathrow Villages ward into West Drayton.

The two are not the only resignations to hit the council this month, Labour councillor Tony Eginton also quit his post on the audit committee after a row over the minutes of the meeting not being recorded, although he retains his Labour seat.

What do you think of the latest political goings on in Hillingdon? E-mail editorialuxbridge@trinitysouth.co.uk